Method of and apparatus for laying submarine pipe.



w T. A. LEWIS. msmon OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING'SUBMARINE PIPE.

APPLICATION HLE D' MAY 27.1915- "Patent-ed Aug.- 81, 19-15.

3 SHEETSSHEEI 1.

' T. ALEW1S.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING SUBMARINE PIPE.

.- APPHCATION FILED MAYZI. 1915.

PatentedAug. 31,1915.

-3 SHEETS-SHEE12.

T. A. LEWIS. METHOD OF 'AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING SUBMARINE PIPE.APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1915.

1,152,326, A v Pmmmu 31,1915.

3 SHEETSSHEE13.

4 28 ll! I" UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

axioms A. LEWIS, on NEW 3011K, 1v. 2'.

METHOD OF AND .AIElEARAEL'US FOR LAYING SUBMARINE PIPE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be" it known that I, THOMAS A. Lewis, a citizen of the -United States ofAmerica,

. residing at New York, in the county and trench under relatively deepWater, and to improved apparatus for carrying 'on the work efiicientlyand expeditiously.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide pipe laying apparatuswhich minimizes strain on the pipe joints when the Work vessel issubjected to minor fluctuations by the water.

A further object is to provide an improved' pipe launchway having meansto scrape the trench bottom in advance of the pipe and having buoyancydevices to lighten the launchway and vessel and to control the action ofthe scraping means.

Another object is to provide a strong and substantially rigid launchwaywithmeans for connecting the same to the floating support, eitherresiliently or rigidly as desired, and also for enabling readydetachment of the launchway.

Other objects and advantages will be in part noted hereinafter inconnection with the description of the accon'ipanying drawings whichillustrate a typical embodiment of the invention. i

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims. I

In .the'drawings, Figure l is a side elevational view of a vessel andapparatus for conveying a pipe from above water to the water bed; Fig. 2is a top plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a perspective view on anincreased scale of a section of the pipe launchway; Fig. 4 is a similarsectional view on the line l--+"l of Fig. 1; Fig.5 is a longitudinalsectional view of the submerged Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. s1, iaia.

Application filed May 27, 1915. Serial No. 30,838.

end of the launchway; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig.5; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line T- -T of Fig. 5; and Figs. 8and 9 are respectively top and side views of a connection between thelaunchway and vessel.

The apparatus illustrated is particularly designed for layihg asubmarine line of water pipe at a depth below the range of convenientdiving operations and in a manner to insure perman ntly water-tight pipejoints and thorough reliability of the line.

In general, it may be stated that the pipe sections are successivelycoupled together above water end conveyed on a curvilinear launchway tothe bottom of a previously dredged receiving trench in the water bed.

.This operation is expeditiously efiected by advancing the launchway inpredetermined steps so that the pipe, held at one end by its alreadylaid length, slides down the launchway and straightens on the trenchbottom. An additional section is then-coupled above water and theoperation successively repeated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a barge orother suitable fioating support 10 provided with requisite accessoriessuch. as derrichs, etc, and preferably having a central longitudinal endopening or well 11 for receiving the upper end of a reinforced launchwayor cradle 12. The deck space on opposite sides of the well 11 may beconveniently utilized for storing pipe sections to be coupled togetheron the launchway, adjacent the upper end of which is located a meltingpot 13 for material to pack the joints. The pipe sections are conplcdtogether by bell joints which permit limited swiveled movement and thelaunchway is curved gradually so that the pipe will assume astraightened condition when laid without undergoing excessive angulardisplacement during the lowering thereof. In

practice, the pipe supported by the launch-' lOO I it

permanent bed for the line. To this end,

the scraper is rigidly-attacl1cd to the launchwon for dra ing b thelatter and is refcrably provided with a longitudinally straight andtransversely convex under surface Also when the scraper is a separatedevice rigidly attached to the launchway as shown, it is provided with aconcave upper surface 26 forming a continua tion oi. the guideway 18.The forward end of tho scraper may also be sharpened as at 2? and dishedthereabove at 28 and 28 to receive one or more jet nozzles 29, 29 fromwhich air or water may be discharged under pressure to assist theclearing action of the men A compressor or pump 30 is provided on thevessel for this purpose, to supply fluid to the jet nozzles throughconduits 31. v

As above mentioned, the weight of the connected pipe sections carried onthe launchway may be very great. For example, with a 36 inch pipe line,the weight of such sections approximates seventy-five tens. It will thusbe seen that the load on the vessel, even after allowing for the pantial buoyancy of the line, is frequently extrcme. Accordingly there isprovided additionai buoyant means to relieve the medial strain on thelaunchway and to substantially decrease the load on the vessel. As

illustrated, one or more buoyancy tanks 33, i i and are secured to thelaunchway at a submerged point intermediate its ends.

The buoyancy of tanks 33 to 35 is designed to be such that the pressureof the lower or scraper end of the launchway on the trench bottom issuflicient to properly clear awa silt without actin as a olow and 1'11 l7 without imposing a severe drag on the vessel when the latter issnubbed ahead to lower the pipe. desired, the buoyancy of the tanks maybe varied at will by supplying thereto or expelling therefrom waterballast.

A convenient manner of efi'ecting such buoyancy control is by thecompressor on the vessel and valved connections with the tanks. it willbe understood, however, that other means may be employed.

The connection between the cradle launchway and vessel is such thatfluctuations of the former due to surface Water variations aretransmitted in a reduced. degree to the latter. strain on the pipecouplings is thus minimized. As illustrated, the launchway is at- Bc-thlongitudinal and transverse j tached aboye Water to the vessel by a PlVotal, resilient connection including bearing frames or brackets 36 fixedto the vessel on opposite sides of well 11 for supporting a I pivotedbolt 37 which passes through registering slots 39 in extension plates38' rigidly fixed to the upper end of the launch: way. Cushioning meansin the form of strong springs l0, ll, arranged in pairs, are provided toresiliently hold the launchway plates 38 so that the bolt 37 is disposedmedially in the slots 39. Said springs are hooked or otherwise securedto the plates 38 and are secured at their opposite ends to fixedbrackets M by nuts 43 on the threaded bolt ends 42. The normal tensionof the spring is thus capable of adjustment and the vessel and launchwayare permitted limited relative movements; There are further providedthreaded set bolts 50m the plate 38 and adjustable to abut shoulders 46on pivot shaft 37 or its supporting frame-for thereby positively holdingthe launchway against relative downward movement. Similarly, wedges orchock blocks 47 are provided for insertion in the slots 39 below thethepipe may be sealed by a bulkhead and the launchway further buoyed andanchored, whereupon the vessel may be removed 'to be returned whendesired for resuming the work. A second connection is also preferablyprovided between the vessel and the submerged part of the launchway. Asillustrated, this connection comprises a chain 21 and aheavy spring 21connected by a sling '22 with a medial portion of the launchway andhaving itsupper end received on a Windlass 23 or otherwise attached tothe vessel. The angle of the launchway may thus be positively controlledto compensate for different water depths and the strain. on the launchway further reduced. It; is to be noted, also, that the interposition ofspring 21 renders this reinforcing conneection re silient and thus tendsto further minimize relative movement of the launchway above described.

Assuming the pipe line to be partially laid as illustrated, thecontinuing operation with the apparatus is substantially as folfor bythe scraper 2a which is dragged with the v launchway. Since the load ofthe launchvvay is particularly heavy during such advancement of thevessel, it will be seen that the provision of the rigid connectiondescribed is very desirable to temporarily relieve the cushioningsprings t0, &l. The steps of the operation described are thenprogressively repeated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combination, a floatingsupport, a launch way and spring means between said support and saidlaunchway for permitting the former to rise and fall to a greater degreethan the latter.

2 In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combination, a floatingsupport, a launch- Way, a yieldable connection between said support andlaunchway for permitting the former to rise and fall to a greater degreethan the latter, and means for rendering said connection substantiallyunyielding to insure equal advancement of said support and launchway. I

3. In apparatus for the purpose setforth, in combination, a floatingvessel, a trussed metal launchway, a resilient pivotal connectionbetween said elements including a plu rality of cushioning springs Iinterposed therebctween, and means to render said connection unyieldingwhile permitting relative pivotal movement. 1

I. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combination, a floatingvessel, a trussed metal launchway, spring means connecting said supportand'said launehway for per- 'mau g the former a) rise and an to a degreegreater than the latter and a buoyancy tank securedto said launchway.

5. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combination, a floatingvessel, a launchway, spring 'means for, attaching said launchway to saidvessel, a submerged buoyancy tank secured to said launchway and means tocontrol the buoyancy ofsaid tank.

6. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combination, a floatingvessel, a launchway pivotally connected at one end to said vessel, and asupporting connection including resilient means between said vessel anda medial submerged portion of said launch- Way.

7. In apparatus for the purpose set forth,

in combination, a floating vessel, a trussed metal launchivay pivotallyattached thereto,

a sling for supporting said launchway remote from the attachment of thelatter to said vessel, said sling including spring means and a buoyancytank carried by said launchvvay to relieve said sling.

' 8. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, in combinatioma floatingvessel, a curvilinear launchway suspended therefrom and providedadjacent its submerged end with a scraper, and a buoyancy tanksecured-to said lannchway and tending to regulate the action of saidscrapen.

9. In apparatus for the purpose set forth,

in combination, a floating support, a reinforced launehvvay having itsmajor length submerged to guide a pipe line from said support, and aplurality of spaced cushioning connections between said support and saidlaunchway to substantially free the latter from vibrations of the formercaused by Water fluctuations.

THOMASA. LEWIS. Witnesses:

WM. H. GEE,

H. L. VAN ZIB.

